Apparatus for severing pipe



June 7, 1938. H. PATTON 2,120,114

APPARATUS FOR SEVERING PIPE Filed Aug. 27, 1956 Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES oFFiE Y APPARATUS FOR SEVERING PIPE Hugh L. Patton, Houston, Tex.

Application August 2'7, 1936, Serial No. 98,197

6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for severing pipe.

It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus of the character described specially designed for severing the upper end of a well pipe and for similar purposes.

It is a well known fact that well fluid such as oil or gas flowing under pressure from the well often becomes ignited, creating an intense heat making it very difiicult to control the fire. The well pipe usually has a Christmas tree or other flow connections at its upper end which become distorted by the heat and pressure and which must be removed in order to make a connection to the well pipe for controlling the flow of the fluid. On account of the heat generated it is very difficult, and usually impossible, for workmen to approach the vicinity of the well for removing the Christmas tree or other connections and for preparing the upper end of the well pipe for the reception of extinguishing or flow controlling apparatus. It is a principal object of the invention to provide apparatus whereby the well pipe, beneath the flow connections, may be severed by the workmen without approaching the vicinity of the well where the heat and fluid flowing under pressure will interfere with the work.

While the invention has been particularly designed for severing the upper end of a well pipe it is also adapted for similar purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described comprising a cable, a shield about the cable for the application of a cooling fluid to the cable and to the work and means for reciprocating the cable.

With the above and other objects in View the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the apparatus.

Figure 2 shows a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, and

Figure 3 shows an elevational view of the well pipe and connections showing the application of the apparatus thereto.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral l designates a tubular housing for the cable 2. As shown the housing is in the form of a pipe which has a slot 3 at one side, intermediate its ends. The housing is bent preferably at right angles with the slot 3 on the inside of the angle as shown in Figure 2. The cable 2 works through said housing and at each end the housing has a stufiing box l through which the cable works. 5

In application the housing I is placed about the well pipe 5 beneath the Christmas tree or other flow connections 55 and with the slot 3 adjacent the well pipe. The cable therefore will be in contact with the pipe 5 at the slot 3. The ends of the cable 2 are extended the required distance and are wound around the drums I, i on the tractors 6, 8. These drums may be operatively connected with and disconnected from the tractor motors by the well known clutch mechanism now in common use for such purpose. In order to reciprocate the cable one drum 1 may be declutched from its motor and the other drum clutched with its motor and, in an obvious manner, the drums may be alternately declutched from and clutched with their respective motors to effect the reciprocation of the cable. In order that the cable may have eifective frictional contact with the pipe 5 to be cut, weights 9, 9 may be secured to the cable between the respective tractors 8 and the corresponding ends of the housing as shown in Figure 1 so that the cable will be drawn taut about the pipe 5 and as the cable is reciprocated it will effectively sever the pipe 5 leaving a smooth upper end to which the fire extinguishing and flow controlling apparatus may be connected. The weights are adjustable on the cable so that as the cable is fed off of one drum on to the other, the weights may be properly positioned relative to the pipe 5. 35

The cable 2 is of sufficient length so that when it becomes Worn, a suflicient length of the cable may be wound on one of the drums to bring an unused portion of the cable into working contact with the pipe being severed. 40

Fluid conducting lines l9, 19 are connected into respective ends of the housing and through which a cooling fluid may be forced into said housing which will circulate through the legs of the housing and be discharged through the slot 3. This cooling fluid will keep the cable cool and render its work more efiicient.

The drawing and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. severing apparatus of the character described comprising a flexible friction line, means 55 for reciprocating the line about the object to be;

severed, a housing through which the 1ine'oper' ates, said housing having an opening through which the line may'beexposed to the work and -means for introducing a cooling fluid into the housing; g

, 2. Apparatus for severing a vertical pipe comprising a flexible friction line, drums about which the respective ends of the line are wound and whereby the line may be reciprocated in frictional contact with the pipe, a housing, through which the line operates, said housing having a c 7 side opening to expose the line to the; pipe, said 7 housing forming fluid tightseals with the line' '15 on opposite sides of the housing, and means for introducing a cooling tween said seals. i i

3. Pipe severing apparatus comprising a flexible line, means for reciprocating the line about,

and in frictional contact with the ,pipe to be severed, tension weights attached tothe line on opposite sides-of the pipe, means for enclosing a portion of the line between said'weights, said enclosing means having an opening to expose the line to the pipe.

4.'Pipe severing apparatus comprising a flexcum into the housing theible line, means'for reciprocating'the line about, a and in frictional contact with the pipe to be Q severed,tension weights attached to the line'on opposite sides of the pipe, means for enclosing aportion of the line between saidweights, said enclosing means having an opening to expose the I line to the pipe, and means for applying a cool- 7 ing fluid to the enclosed portion of the line,

5. Pipe severing apparatus comprisinga flexible wire cable, means for reciprocating the cable,

about and in frictional contact with, the pipexto:

be severed, tension weights adjustably secured to the pipe ,to be severed; 7

the line and spaced apart, a housing about the line between said weights'and having an open-. ing through :which the line may operate against '6. Pipe severing apparatus comprising a flexible wire cable, means for reciprocating the cable,

, abouttand in frictional contact with, the pipej'to be severed, tension weights adjustably secured to the linetand' spaced apart, a housingabout the line between said weights and having an opening through which the line may. operate against the pipe to be severed, and meansfor intrdducingacooling fluid into the housing.

' HUGH L. PATTON; a 

